


Stay by my Side

by Wordlesslywriting



Category: orange - 高野苺 | Takano Ichigo
Genre: F/M, Gen, Orange Countdown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-28
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-18 18:48:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7326217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wordlesslywriting/pseuds/Wordlesslywriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life was never easy; Naruse already accepted that as he was too nervous to say anything to Naho without sprouting something embarrassing. But at least her smile and his new friends made everything better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay by my Side

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Day Two of tumblr's Orange Countdown for the anime premiere this coming summer anime lineup.
> 
> Most Memorable Quote(s):
> 
> Chapter 4, “I want to treasure this. This one second, this one moment.” - Takamiya Naho
> 
> Chapter 19, “Hanging in there...living...is the toughest thing there is.”-Naruse Kakeru

As much as Naruse could outright admit to himself, he was falling hard for Takamiya Naho and fast.

Before coming to his new school and being surrounded with new people and similarities of new worries having tentative friends Naruse, was hesitant about life would treat him this time. After all, his last experience wasn't the best and things at home weren't better. Everything little thing about his life was changing that it was hard to disguise what he was used with the turbulence ranging in his field of vision; he didn't want to come out as an annoying dramatic person but, Naruse preferred if everything slow down. That was all he asked; but it didn’t happen. Instead, he stared at his new classmates and couldn't help but let the nervous jiggers clamp his joints. When he swept through each student he couldn't help but stare at one girl in particular. Brown hair, open cute expressive eyes and, an innocence that radiated off of her that was refreshing. The days that came along after a bleak reminder of his mother’s nature and regrets that started to grip him made him wonder what life had to offer. The heaviness that carried over his shoulders only unclasped when he went to school and was greeted by her. His only escape was the laughter of her voice as her subtle acts of kindness that she shared to her friends and to himself became his daily entertainment. He just felt like he wanted to be selfish and hoard her smiles and gaze; to be the reason why she was enjoying going to school.

He was becoming addicted to her; the way he liked to see her blushes colored her face how, her smile and awkwardness would fill his lungs and warm his own heart. How Naho was too sweet, genuine and more than he could ever deserve as a friend. He wanted to stay close, he wanted to be surrounded by love and acceptance, Naruse just wanted to belong. The longer he stayed in that school the more he got greedy. Because everyone: Naho, Suwa, Chino, Azusa, and Hagita, made him believe there was something out there for him every day. It was surreal the way his perspective was changing just because his mother moved him away from his old school. He didn’t know what to do with this information. And honestly, he felt like all his worries were unneeded the way he had people to lean on. It was scary, Naruse couldn’t deny that as he tripped along the way accepting their friendships. He wasn’t an expert after all. But he was trying.

What didn’t help was the way his mouth couldn’t contain his syllables, or how his face would flush completely when Naho did something enduring (which was a lot). As an adolescent that was purely awkward and far from experience with love he didn’t know what to do with his predicament. All he knew was that he just wanted to be a part of her life. He wanted to get to know her more like what she preferred when it came to movies, books, seasons, music and so much more. The more minimal and obscure the better. Holding her hand and watching the fireworks together made his heart burst inside his rib cage. He wanted to preserve them, and never forget a detail of how Naho was beautiful. He wanted to get his mouth to cooperate and let him tell her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. That no matter where he was or did Naho was always in his mind. It was a grueling task to not flounder and become a stuttering mess when she laid eyes on him.

It was like love itself was pushing him to get up every morning. Not just for specifically Naho, but for everyone that dared to stay by his side this time around. The burst of new emotions crawled into his daily tasks that it gave him more hope of seeing another tomorrow. The spiral of events collided as new positive affections clashes with old deep scars, that it was getting harder to stay sane. He still went to school, he watched everyone smile and laugh. He memorized how Naho made his heart feel and how Suwa was always there to bring him and Naho closer. It never failed to make Naruse feel guilty of all the trouble he was probably causing when he learned when Suwa liked Naho too. He thought for sure things would get worse; but they didn’t, that much. Everybody inside the group was resilient to stay together and Naruse couldn’t help but feel grateful when they didn’t push him away.

Hanging on after so many false attempts of recovering were bad enough after all; Naruse was well versed of life screwing everything up. But it was his friends that got the memo and caught him in time. Since they gave him more than enough opportunities to smile and feel at peace. After so many troubles bubbling his body he couldn’t help but shake and feel himself be freed from them after he heard them, all of them, that they wanted to be his friend and would miss him dearly if he ever left them behind. He remembered the happiness and unconditionally love from them, he remembered how his mind was jumbled with different emotions and thoughts jamming into his skull; and it never felt so good. Naruse wasn’t so sure what happened next but he probably guessed that they went back to his home where his grandmother was there waiting for them, all smiles going around and hot drinks being passed around as chatter and smiles becoming contagious. And when classes started again he was happy to wake up and go to school with everyone again.

Walking side by side with everyone and with Naho holding his hand Naruse felt like everything would be okay. He still couldn’t speak properly around her especially with an audience but Naruse liked to imagine that with time it would change because, he was for sure going to see the future with everyone.


End file.
